26 other shitty things we have to survive in January….

Despite what our name suggests, the Wild Black Women welcome in the new year with the same optimism of Karen from HR extolling her ‘new year new me’ resolutions.

We too live in hope that on January 1st the native folk could wake to the Bran Nue Dae that Jimmy Chi was on his way to, and indeed the breaking dawn that heralded the new bright day Oodgeroo promised.

But sadly tis not the case. Still in 2019, so-called Australia continues to rationalise celebrating as its national day, the date they invaded and came to illegally occupy our land.  While the nation quibbles over what day to hold a barbie, and/or a citizenship ceremony, we are reminded of the futility of such a debate.

For the natives and settlers alike, 26 January is just another day in the colony regardless of whether it is the official national day of celebration or not.

Don’t believe us? Well here is a list of at least 26 other shitty things we’ve had to deal with and it’s only January.

For the natives and settlers alike, 26 January is just another day in the colony regardless of whether it is the official national day of celebration or not.

In no particular order, here they are:

1. Black family trauma – Intergenerational trauma is truly the gift that keeps on giving and in January we are still trying to get over the family drama we just endured during the holiday season of family ‘get-togethers’.
2. White family/friend trauma – And yes, White people despite their privilege are no better. For those of us in close proximity with White people either in our family or our Facebook friends list, January is the time where we also get to discover the new racists in our social network and debate and defriend them.
3. Getting locked up for being Black and routine police harassment and abuse – Just a few examples from around the country this month; Actor and dancer Ruben Yorkshire getting locked up in WA for unpaid fines, the 13 year old girl who was strip-searched and held in custody for breaking curfew in Tasmania, the illegal strip search of the Aboriginal Elder in Sydney and the wrongful arrest and assault of Tommy Lovett in Victoria.
4. Caleb Bond – When Black experts can’t even be called on to comment on Black issues, it is difficult enough accepting that this kid has a regular platform on stuff he knows nothing about. But January this lad gave us toxic femininity – defined by him as expecting fathers to hold a job and shit.
5. New Year, New Me – and having to smile through the lies that people are telling themselves and their closest 2389 friends. For example boasting about leaving your poxy man in January when ya know you’re taking him back in February; I’m taking a break from social media bullshit; believing that migaloos are going to come to the party via reconciliation processes – ok whatever, even Karen in HR isn’t that optimistic.
6. How hard did age hit you photos – okay confessions, some of us may have participated but clearly there are some people who just shouldn’t.
7. White men sooking about not climbing Uluru – Here’s a tip, build a bridge and climb that and then tell us when you get over it Lyle.
8. White men complaining about a razor, or rather an advertisement about a razor – Maybe these guys just need to harden up, particularly given they don’t think toxic masculinity is an actual problem.
9. White men making out that they had nothing to do with the destruction of our country and the draining of our river system – when are people going to take notice of First Nations peoples’ advice on land management and maintenance? Blackfullas lived through 60,000 years of so-called droughts before migs got here. Oh yeah and Dark Emu should be compulsory reading.
10. White men running stuff or as our people would say, ‘playing God’.  Ahem Nigel Scullion claiming none of his best Aboriginal friends have complained about Australia Day – the same Aboriginal friends who are dependent upon his generosity to fund basic community services for mob.
11. Crowdfunding common decency – Forget the United Nations, from WA to Walgett, basic human rights issues like clean water and the resistance against the criminalisation of poverty is dependent upon the generosity of concerned citizens.
12. Injustice – just this month a pedophile priest who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting two Aboriginal teens walks free having had his prison sentence wholly suspended. Meanwhile over 31 years later, Mark Haines’ family are still waiting for justice for their son. The everyday injustices we witness are unbearable.
13. Another friggin lamb ad – Let’s be clear, when Blackfullas are calling for #changethenation, this was not what we had in mind.
14. The tragic loss of 5 young Aboriginal girls to suicide and the accompanying silence of the nation – If you don’t feel something for and think there is something wrong when 5 young girls all take their own lives in just over a week there is something fucking wrong with you.
15. Feigning excitement over palatable Blacks getting promoted or appointed within white institutions – being the first Black into any white institution isn’t a sign of progress but a reminder of how truly fucked this country is, even in 2019.
16. White people wearing Australian flags – colonialism isn’t a superpower, it’s a crime.
17. Breakfast television – the home of uninformed commentary and debates about invasion day.
18. The annual online bullying and trolling of Black women – Sister Brooke Boney professes her love for this country on national television and gets crucified by White Australia. We’re with Tarneen, may as well #BurnItDown.
19. The comments section on any news item relating to Black people – ps some of us avoid them for a reason so please stop screenshotting and sharing the violence.
20. Beaches –  monopolised by White people in Aussie flag swimwear and Southern Cross tatts. FYI the Southern Cross has a Dreamtime story. Google it.
21. Excessive Australia Day drinking, celebration and patriotism by migaloos and their poor attempts at claiming some kind of ‘cultural traditions’.  Thong throwing isn’t a thing.
22. The exorbitant price of seafood you have to resort to over Christmas when your cuz won’t share their catch.
23. Unsolicited texts from Clive (You’re giving me the shits) Palmer.
24. ScoMo’s attempt at doing a better John Howard than John Howard – such as segregation by suggesting a First Nation celebration the day before invasion and the whole $6.7M, 14 month Endeavour re-enactment.
25. Rednecks ongoing complaints and BS about expenditure on Indigenous affairs and Blackfullas getting free stuff when Fraser Anning spends tax payers money to attend Nazi Rallies, Stuart Robert spending nearly $3000 a month on interest expenses, Mathias Cormann spent $37,000 on flights and what the hell are communications expenses?
26. Yearly Nazi Rallies – and politicians who attend them as well as the lack of condemnation within parliament. White people are truly out of control in the colony.
27. On a positive note, 2019 for the Native folk, is also the year of ‘Voice. Treaty. Truth. Let’s Work Together for a shared future’ for the July national NAIDOC celebrations.

So this January, don’t sing me your anthem and don’t @ us with #changethedate.

Just pass us the fucking treaty already. #WhereTheBloodyHellIsIt

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The Wild Black Women featuring Angelina Hurley & Dr Chelsea Bond are live on air every Friday talking (and laughing) about the things that made them wild, from 9am – 10am on 98.9FM or you can catch their podcast here and  you can also catch them on Invasion Day counting down the Original 100 ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ playlist on 98.9FM.

Also check out Wild Black Women Wednesdays on NITV’s The Point for your weekly social media wrap up.

Twitter: @wildblackwomen